Lewis hallock nash



(No Model.)

L. H. NASH.

IGNITOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

No. 386,212. Patented July 17H/888.

. lil f77/vena r- FFICEl LEVIS HALLOOK NASH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL METER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IGNITOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,212, dated July 17, 1888.

Application Iilod January Q0,.lSSG.

(No iu edel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that l,Lnw1s HALLocx N Asn, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county ol' Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ignitors for Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specication.

I have produced an improved ignitor device for gas-engines, rny improvements being directed to particulars of construction and combination, whereby to avoid the binding of the ignitor slide or valve upon its seat by reason of its expansion within the ignitor-case from the heat generated by the ignitor-ilan1e,and to provide for a certain and steady flame for the igniting dcvice,whereby the charge is ignited with regularity and precision.

My invention embraces provision whereby the ignitor slide or valve inelosing-case has a greater rate of expansion than the ignitor slide orvalve to maintain a free movement of the slide or valve, and my invention embraces a construction and combination of ignitionehamber and ignition-port which operates to directthe inilowing gases in awhirling movementwithin said chamber to render it certain to maintain the iianie to ignite the charge.

ln an application for a patent tiled by me July 14, 1887, under Serial No. 244,262, I have shown, described, and claimed a supply-valve and ignitor for gas-engines,wherein a circular ignition-chamber has a supply-passage opening tangentially into Said chamber, so that the gaseous mixture rotates in a rapidly-whirling dame-jet which cannot be extinguished easily. The construction of the ignitor in my said application is such that the circularjet chamber is arranged with its axis perpendicular to the face of the valve-port which communicates with the charge in the power-cylinder. An important change which I have made in such construction is arranging such ignition-cham ber so that when the ignition-port opens com- :munication with the cylinder in the operation of the valve-port the. gases will How into and whirl about the ignition-chamber, and burn therein with a whirling lllame until the ignitorport is opened wide enough by the movement of the slide or valve to ignite the cylindercharge under all constructions in the working of the engine or velocity of the flowing gases.

An ignitor device constructed to accomplish the foregoing objects is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 isa vertical longitudinal section taken on the lineww of Fig. 2,which isa crosssection of the same taken on the line x of Fig. l. In these views the ignitor-slide ports are shown closed with the external lighter and the ignition-chamber in communication with the charge-igniting port. Fig. 3 is a view like that of Fig. l, but showing the slide ignitionports open to the external lighter-jet. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the ignitor-slide from the under side, and Fig. 6 a crosssection on the line z z of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 showsin side view the bushing Within which the slide ignition-chamber is formed. Figs. 8, 9, l0, and ll show the ignition-valve in different views, having a modiiied form of ignition-chamber.

I have shown the igniting device as being independent of the engine-valve; but it may be combined with any form of supply-valve. As an independent device, the-ignitor-slide A is tted upon a seat, C,ol' a case,B,open at both ends, upon which seat the slide is closely held by a bearing-piece, D,\vhich is adj usted as re quired by screws E E, which are locked when adjusted by bindingscrews E.

As shown,the adj listing-screws are socketed in the bearing-piece D, to hold the latter from endwise movement,and the bindingscrews act to clamp split arms ol' the case upon the adjusting-screws. The ports of the ignitor-slide operate ports in the case-seat which columnnicate with the combustion-chamber of the engine.

As the heat from the iguitorllame will heat the slide and its case, I provide against the binding of the slide by making it of a metal having a less co-efcient of expansion than the case, as for instance, a steel slide and a brass case. This construction causes both parts to expand together; but since the slide will be hotter than the case it is necessary that the latter should be made of metal having a greater expansihility than the slide, in order that the ease shall expand as fast as the slide, and since the case will lose its heat by conduction and radiation it will always be somewhat cooler thau the slide. By thus making IOC the slide and case of metals having different rates of expansion I provide an ignitor-slide free from binding and avoid the necessity of using springs to hold thc slide upon its seat.

The ignitor proper consists ot' a chamber, a, preferably ot' circular form, and preferably arranged with its axis at right angles with the supplyport, and having a supply-passage, b, which enters it in such manner as to cause the gases to whirl about said chamber, and communicates with lighter-ports d, through which the jet is lighted by the external lighter-jet, i, when the slide is in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This chamber may be formed in the casing of the slide and its ports operated by the engine-valve; but, as shown, it is formed within a slide by a hollow ring-bushing, c, having a circumferential ignition-port, j', as seen in Fig. 7. This ignition-chamber forming bushing is fitted in the slide so as to cover a circular passage, e, therein, which communicates with the ignitionchamber by ,its portf, and with the cylinder combustion-chamber by the case-port /L and slide-portg, when the valve is in the position shown in Figs. l and 2, to give a free fiow of the combustible mixture from the cylinder into the ignition-chamber to supply the ignitor and light the charge. The external lighter, fi, is placed at the end of the case, so as to project its jet-flame across one end oflighter-port, which extends through the slide and opens at d d at each side thereof, so as to form an opening in direct communication with that end of the ignition-chamber next to the said lighter-port. The other end of the ignition-chamber communicates with the supply-passage I), which is formed in the slide so as to open in its seat-face by the side ot' the portg and into the ignition-chamber tangentially, as stated, as in Figs. 5 and 6. The ignition-port g is formed in the scat-face of the slide and opens into the annular passage eat one side, so as to direct the gas-supply tangentially into the said passage and to cause it to whirl, as shown by the arrows, so as to pass fromsaid passage through the port f into the chamber a in a manner to cause the gassupply to continue its whirling course therein and into the communicating lighter-space,as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. By this construction the supply for the ignitor from the cylinder is caused to travel in circular lines within the ignition-chamber to the open air at the outside lighter-jet, while the supply for igniting the charge in the cylinderis caused to travel iirstin circular lines around the outside of the ignitionchamber and then in circular lines Within its closure, flashing the dame instantly into the cylinder for the combustion of the charge. For this purpose I prefer to have the portsgandfin such relation and rear proximity that the supply entering the portg will complete its course in the annular passage e before entering its tangential course in the chamber a, as Shown in Fig. 2. The object of this relative arrange.- ment of the ports of the supply-passage and ignition-chamber is to cause the indow of the supply into the ignition-chamber when closed, as in Figs. land 2, in such manner as to prevent all danger of extinguishing the flame carried in the chamber c from the external lighter when the said chamber is closed with the external lighter; and to accomplish this result it is not necessary that'the ignitionchamber should be perfectly circular or that it should be formed within a bushing, or that the supply should be actually tangential, but only that the gases shall 'dow into it, so that they will pass around it in contact with its Walls and thereby give the gases a rotary course within said chamber of dame so as not to put it out.

Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 1l represent a modified form of chamber, the ignition-chamber being Without the bushing above described. Fig. 8 is abottom view ot' the ignitcr-slide; Fig. 9, a horizontal section thereof on the line w w of Fig. ll; Fig. 10, a crosssectiou on the line y y of Fig. 8, and Fig. 1l a crosssection on the line x a" of Fig. 8. lu this modication the gases enter the ignitioirchamber directly through the supply-port g, and in a quicl-nioving valve it is `not necessary to pro4 long the dow of the gases through said port. This construction is best adapted fora quickmoving valve, and the entrance of the port b is made oblong.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the ignitor supply-passage bis inpositiou to receive the co|nbustible mixture from the cylinder by the caseport h, and after whirling around in the chamber a they pass out ofthe ports d d, ,are ignited by the lighter, and the flame is flashed back into the said chamber and burns therein with a revolving jet. The slide then moves into the position seen in Figs. l and 2, closing the exterior ports, d, and opening communication between the ports g and It, so that the gases from the cylinder rush into and around the annular passage e with great velocity and pass through the portfinto the ignition-chamber, wherein they burn with a rapidly-rotating flame. On account of their great velocity the gases in chamber e are not ignited at this instant; but as soon as the ignition-chamber a is filled the dow of the gases through the port y ceases, and the flame is communicated through the port f to the passage e, and thence through the port g, which is now open sufciently, to the passage h, igniting the charge.

The object of the bushing having the small portf formed therein is to retard the lighting of the gases in the passage e until the port g has opened the port h wide enough for the flame to be communicated through them to the charge. 1

My invention is not limited to the precise construction and combination of devices shown,as equivalent devices and combinations' of devices may be employed without depart- IIO ing from the spirit or scope of my invention. l.

Certain features of invention described or shown, but not claimed in this application, are covered by pending applications.

sezl

I claim- 1. An ignitor for gas-engines having an ignition-chamber provided With a jet-supply passage conveying the gases in a tangential whirl within said chamber, and having an ignition-port formed at one side of the ignitionchamber to direct the intlowing gases in a whirling movement within said chamber, substantially as described, for the purpose specitied.

2. An ignitor for gas-engines having an ignition-chamber, c, provided with a tangential supply-passage, b, an exterior ignition-port, d, and a tangential port, g, having the relation and operating substant-ially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. The eombination,in an ignitor for gasengines, of the ignition-chamber a, having a tangential jet-passage, b, and an exterior ignition port, d, with an annular passage, e, encircling said ignition-chamber, and a tangential port entering said annular passage in communication with the combustion-chamber of the engine.

4. An ignitor device for gasengines, consisting of' a case having a port, h, communicating with the cylinder, a permanent external lighter, fi, and a slide having an ignition-chamber, a, the tangential jet-passage b, and the tangential charge-ignition passage g, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in an ignitor for gasengines. of a case having the port 71, and the external lighter, t', with the slide A, having an interior chamber forming ring-bushing c, having the portf, and forming a cover for an annular passage surrounding said bushing, a tangential jet-passage, I), and a tangential supply-port, g, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

6. An ignition-chamber for a gas-engine igniting device, having a tangential supply-port, g, and an ignition-chamber arranged with its axis parallel to the face containing the acting ports, substantially as described, for the purpose specilied.

7. In an ignitor for gas engines, an ignitorslide, and an inclosing-case therefor constructed of metals having different rates of expansion, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

S. The combination, in an ignitor device for gas-engines, of an ignitor slide or valve, with an inclosing-case therefor, having a greater rate of expansion than the slide or valve, for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, injanignitor device for gas-engines, of an ignitor slide or valve and a bearing-piece for the latter, with an inclosingcase formed of metal having a greater rate of expansion than said slide or valve, and an adjustable connection between said bearing-piece and case, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

l0. In a gas-engine, the combination of an ignitor-chamber, a power-chamber in valved communication therewith, and a device for causing a whirling jet of combustible mixture Wi thin said chambersupplied from said powerchamber, substantially as described.

ll. In a gas-engine, the combination of a power-cylinder in valved communication with a lighter device, an ignitor-chamber provided with a tangential passage through which communication for the passage ofthe fiame is eslished With said power-cylinder, and means, substantially as described, for igniting the charge contained in said ignitor-chaniber.

l2. In a gas-engine, the combination of an ignition-chamber, a device for causing a Whirling jet of combustible mixture within said chamber, an ignitor, a combustion-cylinder in valved communication with said chamber, said whirlingjet of combustible mixture being augmented by the charge entering said chamber from the combustioncylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEVIS IIALLOCK NASH.

Witnesses:

H. XV. BRINCKERHOFF, WILLIAM C. WEs'rnRvnL'r. 

